Fielding Graduate University

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A WASC accredited
graduate school

Glossary of Terms

Applied	One of three portions of the assessment in which the student demonstrates application of knowledge to professional practice, and reflection upon professional and personal experience in order to generate new theory.
Assessment	Student's work indicating competencies in Knowledge Area at three levels: Overview, In-Depth, Applied. Upon completion of an assessment contract, the student submits documentation of his/her work to the assessor. Upon approval, that knowledge area is certified as complete and entered on the student's transcript.
Assessment Contract	Negotiated with a faculty member (assessor), details the student's educational objective within a specific knowledge area: the specific knowledge to be acquired, the methods used to acquire it, and a timetable for completion.
Assessment Seminar	A group event for assessing and confirming a student's competence within a given knowledge area.
Associate Dean (AD)	Oversee each of their assigned students' progress in conjunction with that student's faculty mentor. Also facilitate academic program governance and oversee management of various program components.
Cluster	A group of Fielding students living geographically close enough to make group meetings feasible at least every other month. Provides members opportunities for intellectual and professional development, as well as peer support.
Cluster Connect Person	Selected by each cluster as the contact person and one who is responsible for the cluster budget.
Comprehensive Assessment	Designed to demonstrate students' ability to integrate the knowledge dealt with in separate knowledge areas, and to show their capacity to use this knowledge effectively at the doctoral level in their professional practice (usually after completion of 5-6 KA assessments).
Concept Paper	The first step of the dissertation process. A brief statement of the research problem.
Consulting Faculty	A consultant on the dissertation to the student, chair, and associate dean. The consulting faculty have expertise in research methodology, research design, and analysis of data.
Dissertation Committee	Comprised of a Committee Chair, a faculty member, Associate Dean, consulting faculty member, faculty reader, student reader and external examiner. The dissertation is presented to the committee at final oral review for critique and discussion.
Dissertation Process	Students complete a concept paper, prepare a dissertation proposal, complete the dissertation research, write a final copy of the dissertation, and present a final oral review.
Dissertation Proposal	A document giving a detailed description of a student's plans for conducting research or a project. This document expands the research question established in the concept paper, provides a literature review, and theoretical perspective on the question and outlines the methodological approach planned for research.
External Examiner	A person suggested by the student and appointed by Fielding who is an expert in the area in which a student prepares his/her thesis or dissertation.
FELIX	Acronym for Fielding Education Link & Information eXchange. Required medium of electronic communication among students, faculty, and staff at Fielding.
Electronic Seminar	Electronic seminars are developed by faculty and students take place in forums in FELIX.
Final Oral Review	An oral review of the student's learning and research by members of the dissertation committee. The FOR establishes the requirements remaining for graduation.
Group Assessment	A knowledge area assessment done by a group of students.
HD	Human Development. (one of the doctoral degree titles)
HOD	The founding name of the doctoral program. Acronym for Human and Organization Development.
HOS	One of the doctoral degree titles.Acronym for Human and Organizational Systems.
In-Depth	Portion of the assessment in which the student demonstrates specialized knowledge in one or more sub-topics of a knowledge area.
Internship	Learning a new skill by working under supervision.
Knowledge Area (KA)	An area of knowledge and skills as defined by Fielding faculty and consultants which can be a part of the curriculum requirements for any given degree. Roughly equivalent to a course in conventional university.
Learning Plan Agreement	A document that describes the student's academic study program, as negotiated with the student's mentor (formerly "Learning Contract").
Mentor	A Fielding faculty person and student's advisor in the process of graduate learning and research.
News and Goods	People sharing what is new and good about themselves before a meeting or community meeting begins (started by founder, Hallock Hoffman).
National Sessions	July (East Coast) and January (Santa Barbara): Week-long sessions of seminars, workshops, knowledge area discussions, and prominent guest speakers held twice a year.
OPS	New Student Orientation. A five-day residency in Santa Barbara which all applicants must attend (formerly "ACW" which stood for Admission Contract Workshop).
Overview (Breadth)	Portion of the assessment in which the student demonstrates familiarity with basic concepts, theories and research in the knowledge area as a whole.
PAR	Personal Assessment Report: A document developed as part of the Learning Plan describing a student's competence upon entry into the Fielding program, according to his/her own assessment.
Portfolio Assessment	Students entering the program since September 1996 will need to do a Portfolio Assessment. This is an informal review of student work typically done after several Knowledge Areas have been completed. It is meant to review the achievement of doctoral competencies and map out a plan for their development in the remaining Knowledge Areas.
Professional Consultant	A person chosen by the student as a local advisor in the knowledge area the student has determined as his/her professional specialty.
Professional Specialty	Knowledge Area #4. This area is defined by individual students. It can be used to acquire new knowledge or to deepen existing knowledge in a specific area in which students expect to build or advance their professional careers.
Research Sessions	Spring and Fall (Regional): Two 4-day sessions designed to provide intensive consultation and group work on students' research, Inquiry & Research (A, B, C) seminars.
Review	A multi-step process which refines a proposal or thesis/dissertation to the point where it is acceptable to a committee of Fielding faculty, students, and an external examiner.
Student Anchors	Students who are further along in the program come to assist faculty anchors at the NSO.
Study Guides	Provide an overview and description of the academic knowledge areas and extensive reading lists.
Student Manual	Designed to help students use the Fielding system to their best advantage, contains information on Fielding policies, programs, procedures and various forms. It is available on FELIX.
Student-Led Event	A workshop led by a student at a National Session.
Student Progress Report	An annual report that is provided by the Graduate Program Advisors and is the basis of a "progress-related" conversation with your mentor. An institutional decision follows feed-back from your mentor re. Your significant academic progress, if KA progress is not obvious.
Training	Training that helps student advance and develop professional skills.
Virtual Cluster	An online meeting place for students who are not affiliated with one of the regional clusters.
Workshop/Field Seminar	Clusters may invite Fielding faculty to lead a seminar or workshop in their area.

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